Score: Vols 6, Red Raiders 2 | FINAL
Ninth-ranked Tennessee baseball (0-0) is set to face off against No. 21 Texas Tech (0-0) in game one of a three-game stretch in Arlington, Texas, to open the 2024 season. First pitch is at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local).
FloBaseball has the stream for Friday night’s game and the rest of Tennessee’s games this weekend. Click here to subscribe to FloBaseball to watch the game.
The Vols and Red Raiders are two of six teams taking part in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, from Friday through Sunday. Oregon, Nebraska, Baylor and Oklahoma are the other four teams. The Vols will take on the Sooners Saturday and Bears on Sunday.
Tennessee is looking to get the season started off on the right foot, unlike last season when the Vols lost two of three games in Arizona on opening weekend.
For any pre-reading or listening before the Vols battle the Red Raiders in Arlington, click any of the links below.
Tennessee Baseball 2024 Season Preview: Schedule, Predictions
What Tennessee Baseball Players Said Before The Start Of 2024 Season
WATCH: Tony Vitello, Tennessee Players Preview Season Opening Weekend
Everything Tony Vitello Said Before Tennessee Heads To Texas For Season Opener
Pitching Preview
Infield Preview
Outfield Preview
Season Preview Podcast
Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below.
Starting Lineups
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
CF Hunter Ensley
1B Blake Burke
SS Christian Moore
C Cannon Peebles
3B Billy Amick
LF Dylan Dreiling
DH Robin Villenueve
RF Kavares Tears
2B Bradke Lohry
Lineup Notes:
-After an offseason infield battle, Lohry gets the nod at second base, and Moore moves over to SS after starting at 2B last year.
-Villenueve gets the DH start after he has raked in practice for the past couple of weeks. Bargo or Chapman would’ve likely been the other options.
-Peebles gets the nod at catcher. We’ll see if he starts at catcher all three games this weekend.
-Tears gets the RF start over other candidates Reese Chapman and Dalton Bargo.
-Ensley is leading off after batting second for the vast majority of last season.
TEXAS TECH STARTING NINE:
2B Tracer Lopez
RF Austin Green
C Kevin Bazzell
1B Gavin Kash
3B Cade McGee
DH Owen Washburn
LF Damian Bravo
CF Gage Harrelson
SS TJ Pompey
Pitching Matchup
Vols So. RHP AJ Russell (2023 stats: 2-0, 0.89 ERA, 24 APP, 1 GS, 30.1 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 7 BB, 47 K, .095 opp. batting avg., 0.53 WHIP)
vs.
Red Raiders Jr. RHP Kyle Robinson (2023 stats: 1-1, 5.36 ERA, 18 APP, 5 GS, 45.1 IP, 41 H, 29 R, 27 ER, 19 BB, 45 K, .252 opp. batting avg., 1.33 WHIP)
Uniforms
Tennessee: Smokey Greys
Texas Tech: Black on White
*NOTE* Texas Tech is the HOME TEAM
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging after an 11-pitch at-bat.
-Christian Moore singles up the middle.
-Cannon Peebles grounds into a fielder’s choice as Moore is out at second.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Tracer Lopez strikes out swinging. AJ Russell’s fastball is sitting in the high 90s.
-Austin Green strikes out swinging.
-Kevin Bazzell singles to shallow left field.
Bazzell steals second.
-Gavin Kash strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Red Raiders 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Billy Amick pops up to catcher.
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to LF.
-Robin Villenueve singles up the middle.
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Cade McGee strikes out swinging.
-Owen Washburn strikes out looking. Russell battled back from a 2-1 count to get the K. His fifth of the night.
-Damian Bravo strikes out swinging. Russell is up to six Ks in just two innings.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Red Raiders 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Bradke Lohry works a leadoff walk.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to LF.
-Blake Burke flies out to CF.
-Christian Moore flies out to RF. Probably would have been a home run in LNS. Incredible play by Texas Tech right fielder Austin Green to prevent a likely RBI double.
END OF TOP HALF.
B3
-Gage Harrelson strikes out swinging.
-TJ Pompey strikes out swinging. AJ Russell has still not had a three ball count and is up to eight Ks.
-Tracer Lopez flies out to CF. Russell’s FIRST three ball count of the evening came against Lopez. Russell has struck out 8 of 10, retired 9 of 10, and retired his last seven. Phenomenal start.
END OF BOTTOM HALF.
Score: Vols 0, Red Raiders 0
4th Inning:
T4
-Cannon Peebles smacks a leadoff single to RF after a seven-pitch at-bat.
-Billy Amick hits a two-run home run to right field. Went barely over the wall and was barely fair. Vols strike first.
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out looking.
-Robin Villenueve works a walk on a full count. He’s reached base in both of his at-bats so far.
-Kavares Tears reaches on a fielder’s choice as Villenueve is out at second 3-6.
Tears steals second.
-Bradke Lohry reaches on a throwing error by the second baseman as the stretch caused the first baseman’s foot to come off the bag. Tears scores on the error, unearned.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Derek Bridges on to pitch for Robinson*
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Austin Green pops up to 2B.
-Kevin Bazzell strikes out looking.
-Gavin Kash strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 3, Red Raiders 0
5th Inning:
T5
-Blake Burke strikes out looking.
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Isaiah Rhodes on to pitch for Bridges*
-Christian Moore pops up to C.
-Cannon Peebles flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Cade McGee works a leadoff walk. Russell’s first walk of the night and Tech’s second baserunner.
-Owen Washburn singles through the right side. McGee advances to second. Frank Anderson comes on for a mound meeting.
AJ Causey is getting loose in the bullpen.
-Damian Bravo hits a single deep into right field. It’s barely fair and Texas Tech’s baserunners get jammed. Bravo tries to make it back to first but is tagged out by Burke. Tech now has runners on second and third with one out.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP AJ Causey on to pitch for AJ Russell*
-Gage Harrelson strikes out looking.
-TJ Pompey drills a two-run triple deep into center field.
-Tracer Lopez strikes out swinging. Causey strands the runner at third.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Red Raiders 2
6th Inning:
T6
*Pitching change: LHP Brendan Lysik on to pitch for Rhodes*
-Billy Amick smacks a hard-hit single past the shortstop.
-Dylan Dreiling knocks a double into left field. Amick advances to third. Pair of runners ISP with no outs.
*Pitching change: RHP Josh Sanders on to pitch for Lysik*
Texas Tech’s 5th pitcher of the evening
*Dalton Bargo pinch hitting for DH Robin Villenueve*
-Bargo is HBP. Bases juiced for Kavares Tears with nobody out.
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
-Bradke Lohry strikes out looking.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 3B. Big opportunity wasted by the Vols there.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Austin Green grounds out to 3B. The first putout at first base all night (WOW).
-Kevin Bazzell strikes out looking.
-Gavin Kash grounds out to 1B unassisted.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Red Raiders 2
7th Inning:
T7
-Blake Burke grounds out to 2B.
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging.
-Cannon Peebles flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Cade McGee grounds out to SS.
-Owen Washburn singles to P. Causey nearly made the play but wasn’t quick enough with the turnaround.
-Damian Bravo lines out to P. Causey throws to Burke for the double play.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Red Raiders 2
8th Inning:
T8
*Pitching change: RHP Jacob Rogers on to pitch for Sanders*
-Billy Amick works a leadoff walk.
-Dylan Dreiling is walked. Amick advances to second. Two on with nobody out.
-Dalton Bargo fouls out to 3B.
-Kavares Tears works a walk on a full count. Bases loaded with one out for Bradke Lohry.
-Lohry knocks a sac fly to center field to score Amick. Dreiling advances to third. Tears stays at second.
-Amick scores on a wild pitch. Tears advances to second.
-Hunter Ensley sends an RBI single through the left side to score Tears.
*Pitching change: RHP Hudson Parker on to pitch for Rogers*
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
-Gage Harrelson strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.
-TJ Pompey strikes out swinging.
-Tracer Lopez flies out to LF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Red Raiders 2
9th Inning:
T9
-Christian Moore singles up the middle.
-Cannon Peebles flies out to LF.
-Billy Amick lines out to RF. Another incredible play by Austin Green.
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to LF.
END OF TOP HALF
B9
*Reese Champan to LF for Dylan Dreiling*
-Austin Green flies out to CF.
-Kevin Bazzell strikes out looking.
-Gavin Kash strikes out swinging.
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, Texas Tech Red Raiders 2
